Football Manager fanatics have long been asking how they can go about obtaining an in-game son. Facebook, Twitter and various forums have all hosted a range of rumours and myths on the topic, leading to much confusion over the years.

It’s time to set the record straight. Yes - you can get a son in Football Manager 2017, but it’s not quite as cut and dried as you might think. We’ve detailed everything you need to know about this rare in-game easter egg - hopefully your virtual heir will be banging in the goals before long.

Who wouldn't want their own virtual Alex Bruce?

1. First, reach your mid-30s

As long as you’ve hit the all-important mid-30s mark, you’ll be entered into the lottery to get a virtual son

No, we don’t mean in real life. But if you hope to stand any chance of bagging a son in FM 2017, you'll need to be approaching your mid-30’s in the game.

A common belief is that you also need to complete 10 seasons in your current save before gaining this opportunity, but that's not true. As long as you’ve hit the all-important mid-30s mark, you’ll be entered into the lottery to get a virtual son.

2. Wait until Youth Intake Day

If you’re hoping to acquire a son, the Youth Intake Day is when you’ll find him

Football Manager’s annual Youth Intake Day sees a set of regens enter the game’s database. If you’re hoping to acquire a son, this is when you’ll find him. It’s also a great way to get a headstart on the competition, allowing you to scout all the top young regens before anyone else has a chance to do so.

In terms of the date, it varies based on the continent, country and year. European nations generally see their youth intakes occur around late February or early March, as do North American, Central American and Oceanian sides. Asian teams tend to opt for August time, South America for September and Africa for October.

3. Cross your fingers

According to Sports Interactive’s Miles Jacobson, the chances that a son will be generated are one in 10,000

Let’s get this out of the way - there are no guarantees you’ll get a son in a standard game of Football Manager 2017. You can’t actually increase your chances either - this feature is an ultra-rare occurrence bestowed upon a lucky few.

According to Sports Interactive’s Miles Jacobson, the chances that a son will be generated are one in 10,000. The only way to get around this is to keep reloading at the point of youth intake, but considering the odds, it would almost certainly take numerous hours to finally stumble upon your virtual offspring.